THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


BUENA  VISTA 
WINDOWS 


BY 

JANE   LIPPITT   PATTERSON 


JAyV\E5   H.  WEST  CO.,   PUB- 
LISHERS,  BOSTON,   MASS.  . 


PRESS  OF  JAMES  H.  WEST  Co.,  BOSTON 
1899 


PS 


TO    THE 

LIVING     FAITH    AND    SERVING     LOVE 
OF    THE 

(Koxfiury  •  Unii?er0aft0t 

THESE    VERSES 

THE    GROWTHS    OF    FAMILIAR    ATMOSPHERE 
ARE     GRATEFULLY     DEDICATED 


S 

UUUKY 


CONTENTS 
* 

PAGE 

BUENA  VISTA  WINDOWS 9 

THE  OLD  ROXBURY  CHURCH 25 

THE  CORNER-STONE 33 

HYMN    41 

ROXBURY  CHURCH 45 

SAINT  MARY'S  MESSAGE 55 


Buena   Vista   Windows 


4 


Buena   Vista   Windows 
* 

THE    restful    shadows   of  a    church    I 
sought, 
Built  on  a  hill  —  for  my  heart's  need 

was  great. 

The  harvester  with  sickle  keen  had  sat 
Close  by  my  door,  and  ripened  sheaves  he 

claimed 
From    my    rich    field,    leaving    my    hunger 

nought 
On  which  to    feed,    of  all    youth's   seasons 

brought, 

Or    home's    first     love    in    childish    accents 
named. 


Buena  Vista  Windows 

The  hills  give  strength.     Great  kingly  words 

so  prove. 
And  looking  toward  their  sunlit  slopes,  some 

power 

To  gird  may  steal  into  the  life,   before 
All  weak,  irresolute.     And  better  still 
If  a  Christian  temple  lift  its  spire  above 
The  firm,  strong  crest.     What  waiting  hands 

of  love 
To  bind,  to  feed,  on  this  fair  Zion's  Hill  ? 


And  so  I  sought  the  shadows  ;  sat  me  down 

With  other  hungry  souls,  and  bowed  my 
head 

To  ask  what  I  came  seeking.  Then,  in- 
stead 

Of  shadows,  lo  !  a  tremulous  light  stole 
through 


Euena  Vista  Windows 

The    church,    and,    pendent    like   a   waiting 

crown, 

Above  the  altar  all   its  glow  made  known, 
And  held  my  lifted  eyes  in  transport  new. 

Was    it    light,    or    thought,    or    heart-beat, 

holding   so 
My  gazing   eyes  ?      Transfiguration,   or   the 

voice 
Once    heard    o'er    Jordan's    waters  ?      To 

rejoice 
Seemed  the  right  atmosphere.    Yes,  thought, 

love,    light, 
Like  arrows,  pierced  the  mask  of  brooding 

woe, 

Commanding  it  depart  —  as  long  ago 
The    demons    heard    and    hastened    out    of 

sight. 


Buena  Vista  Windows 


Like    one    new-shriven    of    sins   not    yet   so 

named, 

But  felt  in  weights,  unrest  and  weariness, 
I  tarried  a  whole  hour  in  this  high 

stress  ; 

Then  turned  to  view  what  earthly  Paradise 
In  light  and  color  round  my  being  flamed 
And  all  the  passing  congregation  framed, — 
And  Buena  Vista  Windows  met  my  eyes. 


Rich  grapes  of  Eschol,  symbol  and  fore- 
taste 

Of  meanings  larger  than  the  Prophet 
dreamed, 

In  tempting  clusters  where  the  sunlight 
streamed, 


Buena  Vista  Windows 


Spoke    with     the     Prophet's     accents     once 

again  : 
"  Ho  !    ye,   among   life's  desert  sands  who 

waste 

The  pregnant  years,  to  living  waters  haste  ; 
Oh,    come    and    be   refreshed,    ye   sons    of 

men  !  " 


Soft,     tremulous     light     my     eager     vision 

meets  ; 
When,    lo  !     a    courier    from    the    King   of 

kings, 
Heaven's     wondrous     promise      borne     on 

snowy    wings, 

Pauses    a   maiden's    throbbing    heart    anear, 
With  emphasis  divine   the  word  repeats, 


Buena  Vista  Windows 

While  blushing  beauty  angel  grace  entreats, 
And  countless  worlds    that    promise    list   to 
hear. 


Revealing  faces  every  thought  uplift. 
Madonna  and  the  babe,  in  orient  glow, 
O  'er  fields  of  light  their  matchless  beauty 

show, 
And    kingdoms    pale    where    Love    is    born 

the    King. 
The    silver    stars    bend    near,    and    through 

the    rift 
Made    ample    by   the   Virgin's    heaven-sent 

gift, 
Angels     descending     tune     their    harps    and 

sing. 


Buena  Vista  Windows 

And   now  a  vision  of  wondrous  majesty — 
Doctor    and    mitred    Priest   stern -faced   and 

wise  ; 
Before     them,     questioning    with     innocent 

eyes, 
A     lad     his    anxious    mother    missed    and 

sought. 

Who  answers  —  though  in  Law  and  History 
Master  of  all  Jjis  nation's  learning  he — 
The    lad's    uplifted     brow    and     luminous 

thought  ? 


With  face  compassionate,   caressing  arms, 
Stands  the  Good  Shepherd.     On  his  heart 

at  rest, 

A  lamb  the  wolves  have  chased  in  murder- 
ous quest, 


Euena  Vista  Windows 

And    fright  of  wilderness  to  shelter  driven. 
Man,    weak,    and   wounded    by   uncounted 

harms, 
Trembling  and   doubting   from    the  world's 

alarms, 
In   this  clear  symbol  sees  his  sins  forgiven. 


Faith's  horoscope  !    Twelve  men  in  radiant 

guise, 

With  faces  resolute  and  serious  mien, 
Jesus  the  Christ  standing  midway  between, 
As  though  to  hold  his  own  by  love's  strong 

band. 

Far-reaching  prophecies  are  in  his  eyes, 
And  on  his  lips  his  mission's  great  apprise, 
"  Go    preach    my    truth    to    all,    in    every 

land  !" 

16 


Buena  Vista  Windows 

What  glory  hides  earth's  deepest  shadow 
now  ! 

The  tomb -door  folding  Calvary's  pain 
swings  wide, 

And  Christ  the  Lord,  on  Friday  crucified, 

Stands  in  transfigured  life  on  Sunday  morn. 

Mary,  love's  token  'neath  her  radiant 
brow, 

And  John  belov'd,  bear  hence  the  witness- 
vow. 

Men    listen     and     abate     their     doubt     and 


Onward  the  tidings  fly.      Whole  kingdoms 

kneel 
And   pay  their  homage   to  the  risen  Lord. 

17 


Euena  Vista  Windows 

Even     Rome     the     imperial     sheathes     her 

blood-red    sword, 

And    blind   Judea   listens.      Her   great  son, 
The  persecutor,   with  his  fiery  zeal, 
Sees    light    above    the   noon,    hears    Christ's 

appeal, 
Wins   victories    for   his    Lord  none  else  has 


Promise     and     prophecy     come     crowding 

here  ! 
The    Comforter,    with     dove-wings     raying 

light, 

The  rose,  the  passion-flower,  the  lily  white 
Wreathing    the   cross  ;     Peace    hastening    to 

all    lands; 

18 


Buena  Vista  Windows 

While  Faith,  in  symbol  anchor  starry 
clear, 

And  witnessing  angels  robed  in  gold,  ap- 
pear, 

And  all  the  house  a  mount  transfigured 
stands. 


I  seek  the  door,   my  soul   a   censer  fine 
Aflame    with    incense.       But,    arrest    once 

more  ! 

And    I    am   chained    beside  the  outer  door. 
The  crowning  glory  for  the  heart  bereft 
In  the  vestibule  uplifts  its  purple  shrine, 
And  the  sure  Comforter  in  words  divine 
Illumes   the    hour   when    Joseph's    tomb   he 

left. 

19 


Euena  Vista  Windows 


On  Patmos'   Isle  His  Revelator  stands, 

With  face  upturned,  with  attitude  in- 
tent, 

The  seer 's  clear  vision  on  the  heavens 
bent, 

While  one  hand  clasps  the  book  that  'scape 
no  word 

Of  the  God-sent  message.  People  of  all 
lands 

Hush  while  he  listens  !  Behold  the  happy 
bands 

Unveiled  by  prophet-pen,  —  the  Spirit 's 
sword  !  — 

"I    heard    a    voice    from    heaven    saying, 

'  Write, 
Blessed    are    they    who    henceforth    in    the 

Lord, 


Buena  Vista  Windows 

Illumined    by    his    resurrection    word, 
Shall    die.      Hunger    no    more,    nor    thirst, 

nor    sun 
With     scorching    heat,    nor     deluge    rains, 

shall    blight  ; 
But    He   who    found    life's    throne    beyond 

death's    night 
Shall    lead    and    feed,    while    endless    ages 

run.'  " 


The    hill,     so    grandly    crowned,    its    help 

had    given, — 
No  hurt,  nor  doubt,   to  cloud  the  onward 

tread 
Of    living    love    to    green     tents    of    the 

dead  : 


Buena  Vista  Windows 


For,  lo  !  Immortal  Life  had  been  un- 
sealed ! 

And  reverent  souls,  following  these  signs, 
faith-riven, 

The  glory  of  color  caught  from  dreams  of 
heaven, 

In  Buena  Vista  Windows  see  GOD'S  LOVE 
revealed. 


The   Old  Roxhury  Church 


The   Old  Roxbury   Church 

Burned  January  ij,  1894 


"IT    lived    the    years    of    a    man,"    one 

said, 

Yes,  the  years  of  a  man,  and  more  ; 
The    silver    shimmer    about    its    head 
Was    the    halo    of   seventy-four. 

Those   men  of  faith,  did   they  ever  dream 
When    brace    and    pillar    they    hewed, 


The  Old  Roxbury  Church 

When  they  shaped   the  rafter  and   laid   the 

beam 
And  the  frame  of  the  temple  viewed, — 

When    they    closed    it    in    with    roof    and 

wall, 

And    made    it    a    place    of   rest 
For   the   weary,    burdened  with    life's   hard 

thrall 
And    the    hungry    spirit's    quest, — 

That  the  fires  would  lap  with  hissing 
tongue 

The  beauty  and  strength  they  wrought, 
And  the  requiem  over  the  dead  house  sung 

By  the  fiend  of  the  flame  be  taught  ? 


The  Old  Roxbury  Church 

Through  the  even  flow  of  the  happy  years 
That  measured  this  hoary  pile, 

No  drip  of"  a  vengeful  prophet's  tears 
Reaches  the  ear  meanwhile. 

The  brave  and  noble  of  vanished  days 

To  the  ample  shelter   throng, 
And  the  voices  bearing  the  full  heart's  praise 

Are  tuned  to  an  anthem  strong. 

Sages  crowned  with   the  snows  of  time 
On  its  throne  of  thought   have  stood  ; 

Youth,  with  the  zeal  of  its  hopeful  prime, 
Has  wrought  with  the  great  and  good. 

And  they  who  followed,  and  they  who  led 
To  the  waters  heavenly  clear, 


27 


The  Old  Roxbury  Church 

On  love's  immortal  manna  fed 
With  never  a  thought  of  fear. 

It  came  as  the  awful  crash  of  doom  ; 

And  our  hearts  beat  sad  and  low 
As  the  blackened  walls   of  our  Zion  loom 

O'er  the  white  of  the  winter  snow. 

In  many   a  city  and  hamlet  far 

Where  the  bitter  tidings  fly, 
The  guiding  rays  of  the  vanished  star 

Have  lighted  the  morning  sky 

Of  men  of  faith  and  women  strong 
Who  the  world's  best  thinking  mould, 

And   their   true   lives  make  a  triumph-song 
As  Miriam  did  of  old. 


The  Old  Roxbury  Church 

O  shrine  of  a  countless  multitude 
On  earth  and  in  heavenly  ways, 

For  righteousness   thy  walls  have  stood  ;  . 
Thy  gates  were  gates  of  praise  ! 

And  these  shall  live  !    For  souls  have  caught 

The  everlasting  flame 
Kept  burning  on   thy  throne  of  thought 

In   Christ's  immortal  name. 


29 


The  Corner- Stone 


4 


The  Corner -Stone 

* 

THE  Church   of  God  in  every  zone, 
By   all    the   tongues    of"   men   con- 
fessed, 
Upon  the  living  Corner  -  Stone  — 

The    Christ   of  Nazareth  —  firmly    rests. 

Yet  men  who  build  their  living  faith 
In  temples  for  Jehovah's  praise, 

Lay  symbol  corner-stones  beneath 

The  lofty  towers  which  they  upraise. 


33 


"The  Corner-Stone 


Here,   sealed  for  ages  yet  to  be, 

Are  records  of  the  time,  the  thought, 

When  boundless  faith's  heroic  plea 

With  love's  desire  in  grandeur  wrought. 


*"Come,   show  me   the  place 
Where  the  corner-stone  shall  be  laid 
Of  the  church  to  fill,  by  its  matchless  grace, 
The  void  which   the  fire-fiend   made  ! 

"The  street  I  do  not  know, 
Named   for  a   Mexic  town, 
Where  the  fruitful  apple-orchards  grow 
Which  the  builders  must  cut  down." 

*  Mrs.  William  Curtis. 


The  Corner-Stone 


So  we  rode  along  the  way, 

Busy  and  danger-sown, 

Seeking     the     spot    where     our    faith    shall 

lay 
Its  symbol,   the  corner-stone. 

And,  lo  !    waist-deep  in  earth, 

His  hand  upon  the  spade, 

A  man  who  had  his  mortal  birth 

Ere  the  old  church  stones  were  laid  !  * 

We  hailed  him  standing  there, 
The  spade  in  his  good  right  hand  ; 
He  answered  with   the  reverent  air 
Of  a  doer  of  God's  command. 

*  Joseph  Hastings. 
35 


'The  Corner-Stone 


"I  watched,"   said    He,   "for  this  hour, 

For  I  wished  to  dig,   alone, 

The  spot  where   the  church  shall  build  its 

tower 
Over  the  corner-stone. 

"  Child,   and   youth,   and  man, 

Until  now  I  am  nigh  four-score, 

I  went  where  my  soul's  true  life  began, 

To  the  old  church's  open  door. 

"  Now,  each  day,   I  shall  come, 

Watching  the  workmen  here, 

Till    I   make   of   the   good   new  house   my 

home, 
Familiar  and  heavenly  dear. 


T'he  Corner-Stone 


"So  I  plant  in  the  earth  my  gift, 

The  gift  on  this  hopeful  day 

Of    the    love    and    faith    which    my    heart 

uplift, 
As  I  dig  where  the  stone  shall  lay." 


The  street  which  bears  the  Mexic  name, 
And  even  the  prostrate  orchard-tree, 

FAITH,   kindled  to  heroic  flame, 

In   this  man's  living  works  can  see. 

And  our  dear  church,   in  ages  hoar, 

The   honored   name  and  deed  shall  own 

Of  him  whose  valor  at  four-score 
Made  room   to  lay  its  corner-stone. 


37 


Hymn 


Q 


Hymn 

Laying  the   Corner  Stone 
* 

OD  of  our  fathers  !    whom  to  know 

Is  life  eternal,   come,   we  pray, 

And  by  thy  love's  transfiguring  glow 

Baptize  our  symbol  rites  to-day. 


Thy  guidance  in  the  past  we  see, 

Thy  changeless  truth,   thy  pitying  grace, 

And  Faith  would   bring  her  gift  to  thee 
Whose  glory  fills  all  time,   all  space. 


Hymn. 

Oh,   may  the  walls  which  here  shall   rise 
Cemented  close  from  base  to  dome, 

The  strength  and  union  symbolize 

Of    those    who    make    thy    house    their 
home. 

So  shall  thy   Spirit's  quickening  power 
Here,  as  a  central  light,  be  known, 

And  men  and  angels  bless  the  hour 
We  laid  in  faith  our  corner-stone. 


Roxbury   Church 


Roxbury  Church 

Read  at  the  Seventy- Fifth  Anniversary 


T 


HE  Prophets  of  our  sacred  past 
In  swift  succession  come  and   go  ; 

Their  words  the  flying  years  outlast, 
Borne  on  bv  life's  resistless  flow. 


On   Zion's  towers  we  see  the  light 
Revealing  love's  eternal  sway, 

And  where  were  shadows  of  the  night 
The  dawn  of  faith's  triumphant  day. 


45 


Roxbury  Church 


In  countless  hearts  their  praise  is  sung 
Whom  God  has  made  his  messengers, 

The  sandaled-  feet,  the  flaming  tongue, 
The  names  enrolled  among  the  stars. 


But  who  like   Miriam  shall  stand 
Beside  old   wrong's  divided  flood, 

And  speak  for  the  enfranchised   band 
Who  once  in   night  of  bondage  stood  ? 


The  grand  procession  of  the  years 

That     thronged     the     Temple's     shining 
ways, 

And  built,  with  reverent  prayers  and  tears, 
The  Prophet's  words  in  lives  of  praise  ? 


Roxbury  Church 


Strong  men  of"  truth  no  bribe  could   reach, 
No  sophist's  tinsel  breath  could  move, 

Brave  to  endure,   in  patience  teach 
The  victory  of  Immortal   Love  ? 


Their  unsealed  eyes  new  worlds  beheld, 
The  Palestine  of    hopes  untold  ; 

And,   as  in  wondrous  days  of  eld, 

They    drank    its    streams    and    mined    its 
gold. 


They  reaped,   and  passed  its  harvests  on, 
Increased,   as  faithful  servants  may, 

From  year  to   year,   from  sire  to  son, 
And  rilled  our  granaries  to-day. 


47 


Roxbury  Church 


Beside  these  men  of"  stalwart  truth 

Fair  women  wrought  in  countless  ways 

They  gleaned  the  harvest-fields  like  Ruth, 
Like  Miriam  sang  Jehovah's  praise. 


And  never,   where  the  curtains  hung 
O'er  Hebrew  tent  or  round  its  door, 

Or  tinkling  bells  in  concert  swung 
When  mitred   Priest  his  ephod  wore, 


Was  finer  needlework  displayed 
Or   incense   costlier   outpoured 

Than  these  true  hearts  in  reverence  laid 
Upon  the  altar  of  the  Lord. 


Roxbury  Church 


They  filled  the  treasury  o'er  and  o'er 
When  days  were  drear  and  lights  burned 
low, 

Home's  prudent  ways  their  only  store 
Love's  flame  in   grateful  deeds  to  show. 


And  by   the  altar-fire,   apart 

From  the   cold  world's   distracting   gaze, 
Unfailing  strength  for  hand  and  heart 

They  found,   in  all  life's  toilsome  ways. 


They  prayed  and  wrought  in  full  accord 
With  the  soul-currents  deep  and  high 

Which   fed  our  Temple  of  the  Lord 

Through  five-and-seventy  years  gone  by. 


49 


Roxbury  Church 


And  when   in  smouldering  ruin  lay 
The  sacred  shrine  our  fathers  blest, 

With  tearful  eyes  they  looked  away 
In  search  of  fairer  hills  of  rest. 


Their  names  in   fadeless  glory   blaze  ; 

And  while  our  house  of  God  endures 
Its  radiant  walls  shall  speak  their  praise 

Whose  work  this  crown  of  hope  ensures. 


The     church     whose     stones    with     jewels 
shine 

No  tide  of  time  can  e'er  remove, 
Built  from  the  soul's  exhaustless  mine 

Of  living  faith  and  serving  love. 


Roxbury   Church 


Then,   hail  !    and   crown   the  coming  days 
With   glory  greater  than  the  past  ! 

Your   lives  a  hymn  of  noblest    praise 
Inspired   by  words  the  years  outlast  ! 


Saint  Mary's  Message 


Saint  Mary's  Message 

Read  at  the  Church  Reunion  in  1893 
* 

THE    dawn    with    wavering    shadows 
gray 
O'er   Hebron's   height   and  Zion's 

towers 
Led  silently   the  promised  day 

Whose  bells  should  strike  immortal  hours  : 

When  softly,   from  her  sleepless  room, 
Saint   Mary   sped  in  tearful  guise, 

Her  sisters  following,  in  the  gloom 
Of  hearts  bereft  and  blinded  eyes. 


55 


Saint  Mary's  Message 

Their  feet  the  springing   grasses  pressed, 
Their  robes  the  lily's  fragrance  stirred, 

The  eaves  where  hung   the   swallows'  nest 
Low-bending  sorrow's  breathings  heard. 


The  swallows  chirped,  and  dreamed  again  ; 

Not  yet  the  hour  for  matin  hymn  : 
'Tis  they  who  watch  in  grief  and   pain 

The  night-dews  kiss  in  shadows  dim. 


Saint   Mary  knew  the  rocky  pass 
Beneath  the  olive's  grateful  shade  ; 

Over  against  its  gloom,  alas  ! 

She    had   watched    while    safe    the    tomb 
was    made. 


Saint  Mary's  Message 


This  tomb  the  matchless  form  concealed 
Of  him  whose  daily   walk  and  word 

So  nobly  love's  true  life  revealed 

That  men  in  gladness  called    him   Lord. 


To  lay  the  emblems  of  love's  gain 
About  his  sacred  feet  once  more, 

Saint   Mary,  over  leagues  of  pain, 

Through    drifts    of   gloom,    her    treasure 
bore. 


And  when  she  neared  the  olive's  shade, 
All  bowed  with  sorrow's  crushing  fears, 

A  blinding  light  her  anguish  stayed, 
A  ray  of  hope  shot  through  her  tears. 


57 


Saint  Mary's  Message 

"  Fear  not  !  "  she  heard  the  angel  say, — 
Her  listening  spirit  caught  the  word, — • 

"  Fear  not  !  new  light  breaks  on  the  way 
Of  him  who  seeks  the  risen  Lord. 

"  Go  quickly,   tell   his  fleeing  friends 
The  living  Christ  goes  on  before, 

Through   time,   to  earth's  remotest  ends, 
Through  death  to  life's  immortal  shore." 

She  ran, —  this  woman, —  joy-impelled, 
Her  sisters   following  swiftly  on, 

When,   lo  !    her  happy  eyes  beheld 

The  Lord's    face   lighting  all  the  dawn  ! 

He  spoke  again  the  fearless  word 

Saint    Mary   bore  embalmed  in  myrrh, 


Saint  Mary 's  Message 

As  round  his  feet  the  grasses  stirred 
Where  knelt  his  waiting  messenger. 

Then  on   from  prayer  she  sped,   upborne 
By  hopes  which  earthly  shadows  flee, 

And   preached  the  resurrection -morn 
To  all  the  twelve  in  Galilee. 

Saint    Mary's   message,   angel-given, 

Baptized  anew  by   Christ's  own  word, 

Comes  down  the  centuries  sorrow-riven, 
Earth's  wailing  hearts  with  hope  to  gird. 

Prophets  and  leaders  come  and  go, 

Lover  and    friend    death's  shadows  chill, 

But  never  change  his  word  can  know 
Who  in  his  church  abideth  still. 


5') 


Saint  Mary's  Message 

The  dawn  is  past,   the  matin  sung  ; 

High  noon  comes  o'er  the  hills  apace 
And,   nestling  airs  of  Spring  among, 

The  Easter  lilies  find  their  grace. 

And  fed  by  dews  Christ's  love  distils, 
The  Marys  live  to  speak  his  word, 

To  bear  the  light  from  heavenly  hills, 
And  run  on  errands  for  the  Lord. 


60 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


Form  L9— lSm-10,'48  (B1039 )444 


LOS  ANGELES 


Patterson  - 
2524  'Buena  Vista 
P277b  windows. 


PS 

2524 

P277b 


